


It's What People Do

by Selkies_song



Series: The School of Magic [1]
Category: Original Work, School of Magic (Original Work)
Genre: Asexual Awareness Week, Coming Out, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-03 03:48:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21172928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selkies_song/pseuds/Selkies_song
Summary: Don gets a little frisky, and Chandler is backed into a proverbial corner.





	It's What People Do

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys; Happy Ace Awareness week! Have some original character fluff.
> 
> Some series background/context: The School of Magic is a somewhat-original universe based on a really long lived forum based roleplay between me and my bestie. It started out as a Legend of Zelda roleplay, but over the course of nearly 20 years, pretty much all of it is now comprised of original characters and locations. We decided a few years ago to try and "originalize" all of it to make into our own set of stories/comics/etc, but we're both super busy with our adult lives and so it never really got off the ground.
> 
> I still enjoy writing about these characters though, so this series will be where I stash the results of those self indulgent writing sessions. :) Hope you enjoy!

It was early morning and a light rain was pattering against the roof. Chandler was only partially awake, comfortable under the blankets and feeling pleasantly lazy. Behind him he felt Don stir, nuzzling his face down into the crook of his neck. 

That’s when the kissing started, and the hands began to wander. The previous sense of relaxed laziness evaporated in a blink, only to be replaced by anxiety. Chandler wasn’t naive; he knew what this meant, and he knew it was only a matter of time before his and Don’s relationship came to this. He didn’t feel like he had any right to refuse.

He didn’t pull away when the large form behind him shifted to loom over him, and Don’s lips found his. Normally he didn’t mind kissing the blond, but this was different; scalding hot and insistent rather than the gentle warmth usually shared between them. Don broke the contact and trailed kisses down Chandler’s throat and bare collar bone, his hands getting more insistent and more bold. Chandler swallowed thickly.

It was about then that Don reigned himself in and paused, noticing his partner’s lack of reciprocation and the stiff way he was holding himself. The larger man sat up slightly, studying Chandler’s freckled face in the dim light. Chandler was carefully avoiding Don’s gaze, and the look of calm was so painfully forced that it shook Don awake from the haze of passion.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice a low, concerned rumble.

“Nothing.”

Don frowned, not buying the canned response. “Do you not want this?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

The blond quirked an eyebrow. “I dunno. Why don’t you tell me?”

Chandler let out a frustrated grunt at that, before suddenly sitting up to roughly kiss Don, catching the blond off guard. It took a shocked moment, but Don quickly realized what Chandler was doing: he was avoiding the question, desperately trying to distract Don with his actions.

With great effort, the blond put his hands on Chandler’s shoulders and gently pushed him away. “Wait, hold on,” he murmured breathlessly. “Chandler, what’s going on?”

“Nothing, like I said.”

“Bullshit.”

Chandler looked away, his pretense faltering, and Don recognized the anxiety and vulnerability that remained. 

“Is it because we’re both men?” Don asked softly, feeling a cold knot of dread worm into his heart. If Chandler rejected him for that, after all this time, he wasn’t sure he could take it.

“No,” Chandler replied quickly, only to hesitate a moment and shift his weight, one arm crossing over his chest. “...it...wouldn’t matter. I’m...just like this,” he added haltingly, feeling his heart pound at the terror of admitting it. He’d never had to put this into words before; he’d never been close enough to anyone for it to even come up, and it was never something he felt the need to seek out for himself. It’d gotten close with Maya, but then they’d had their falling out before she seemed to expect anything so intimate with him.

“But,” he added after taking a shaky breath, “I know that’s what people who...love each other...that’s what they do. And I _do_. Love you, I mean…” his cheeks flushed, but he meant it with every ounce of his soul. “So if...if you want to...then, I will.”

Don’s expression softened. “Not until you’re ready.”

Chandler startled slightly and looked up at Don in disbelief. “W-what? But-”

Don shook his head, offering a small smile. “Chandler, it wouldn’t be worth doing if you didn’t want to.”

The brunette looked thunderstruck. “But...what if I’m _never_ ready?” he asked in a small voice.

“Then I’ll still be here,” Don reassured him gently.

Chandler stared for a long moment, quietly stunned. The surge of emotion he felt at that moment caught him by surprise. 

When Don carefully pulled him into a hug, he finally felt some feeling come back to his body. After a moment, he returned the embrace, closing his watering eyes as he buried his head in the blonde’s broad shoulder. This meant so much more to him than he could ever put into words and the sheer relief of being accepted just as he was left him trembling. 

“Thank you,” he whispered.


End file.
